When Local Was Everything: Chris Eddy on the Rise and Fall of Regional Media

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0800

What happens when regional media loses its local voice? Chris Eddy has lived the answer. Across a 20‑year career in television and radio — from GMV6 to 3SR and Sun FM — he saw firsthand how aggregation, corporate consolidation, and automation reshaped the industry.

In this episode, Chris breaks down the economic and operational forces that hollowed out local newsrooms, the shift from live broadcasting to voice tracking, and the cultural cost of removing local personalities from the airwaves. He also reflects on how those same communication skills carried him into a second career in local government, culminating in six years as CEO of Hobsons Bay Council.

A deep dive into the past, present, and future of regional media — and what communities lose when localism disappears.

Subscribe to Chris' podcast Local Government News Roundup - Australia's No. 1 podcast for local government news and views

For a trip down memory lane check out the old 3SR, Shepparton homepage where you can find links to the personalities that once ruled the Shepparton airwaves.

The Local Shift - Coming Soon

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:15:00 +0800

The Local Shift celebrates the people who built Australian regional radio — not just the announcers, characters, and community voices who shaped the sound, but the people behind the scenes. Through interviews and long‑form storytelling, we preserve the culture, creativity, and chaos of radio before networking changed everything. If you love Australian radio history and the people who made it unforgettable, you’re in the right place.

The Local Shift - Coming soon!